How To Make Almost Any Recipe Clean

No, you don’t scrub it with a brush. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard that (really bad) joke!

I firmly believe that most recipes can be converted to a clean eating plan with a little experimentation and some elbow grease. So if you’d like to take a crack at it with one of your favorite recipes, here are some basic guidelines for making those healthy and clean substitutions.

If you would like any help with substituting a particular ingredient, please leave a comment and I’ll see if I can help. And here’s how to make (almost) any recipe clean.

THAT AWFUL WHITE STUFF

Sugar is pretty easy to substitute if you have a kitchen scale. Simply weigh the amount of sugar called for in a recipe, and then use that same weight in any natural liquid sweetener like honey or maple syrup. (Don’t try to substitute by volume. 1 cup of sugar does NOT equal 1 cup of honey.) Check out my Sugar Substitution Chart for substituting different types of sugars. Coconut sugar and sucanat are also good substitutes, though I rarely cook with them.

THINK BROWN SUGAR IS A HEALTHIER OPTION? THINK AGAIN!

Brown sugar is simply white sugar with molasses added. Need to find a substitute? Follow the directions above for weighing. Once you have the weight, use 3/4 honey and approximately 1/16 molasses to get a flavor that is close to the real stuff. If you want a dry version, try sucanat. It has a mild, brown sugar flavor.

WHAT ABOUT OIL?

In cooking or “frying” – if your recipe calls for more oil than you’d like to use, start with 1 tbsp. olive or safflower oil and replace the rest with plenty of chicken broth and a non-stick pot or pan.

In baking – use 3/4 cup apple sauce (no sugar added), and 1/4 cup fruit purée (like pumpkin or banana) for each cup of oil. But be sure to add extra spices and extracts, as there is then little or no fat to enhance the flavor of what you are baking. Typically, 1 extra tsp. of extract or spices will do nicely. Watch your baking times closely as low-fat/non fat items turn from raw to dry very quickly when in the oven.

THE OTHER WHITE STUFF

White flour is not only used for baking, but also for thickening sauces and other culinary uses. If the texture of your recipe depends on the flour (like in baking), then stick to whole wheat pastry flour. If not, experiment with the myriad of whole grain flours found in your local health food store. It’ll be a very tasty adventure!

LITTLE GLOBES OF PROTEIN

As much as I love eggs, I know lots of folks can’t eat them. I found a fabulous source for all kinds of ways to replace eggs, either the whole egg or just the whites or yolks. Check it out here.

WHAT ABOUT GLUTEN?

This is such an involved subject that it would take me a whole other blog to cover it. So instead, I’ll send you to the expert: Elana’s Pantry. Her tips are excellent.

OTHER SUBSTITUTIONS?

If you are wondering about something not listed here, leave a comment below. I’d also love to know what substitutions you use to keep YOUR cooking and baking clean!

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Hi, I would LOVE to know what to substitute the Campbells mushroom soup for in my family favourite Tuna noodle casserole. It is a standard that my family is really missing and I can’t seem to get the flavour just right.

I stumbled upon this by accident 🙂 I was making some cauliflower sauce (Take 1 bag of cauliflower, 1 cup of water, let it get soft, add salt and whatever other seasonings you’d like) and then saute a carton of mushrooms, blend both together and you have a cream of mushroom to use with any recipe! I made a great green bean casserole with it <3

Hi Tiffany, I have another question. If a recipe calls for canola oil, or say, melted butter or margarine, can it be substituted for another oil such as sunflower oil? Also, have you used organic coconut sugar in your baking? I’ve been using it for a few weeks in recipes that call for sugar or brown sugar and so far everything has turned out great. Has a much lower glycemic index than regular sugar, and even less than honey and agave. It sort of tastes like brown sugar though not quite as sweet, but I’m okay with that. Trying to get my hubby to use that in his coffee (instead of the organic cane sugar that I have forced him to use instead of refined white sugar, lol!)

Marlena – Oils are easily substituted with other oils. So yes, use whatever oil you are comfortable with. I’ve never heard of coconut sugar. I’ll have to investigate. Sorry I can’t be more help with that one!

Sarah – No. But I haven’t given up. Unfortunately, some things are made “better” with chemicals and unhealthy ingredients. but I will keep trying. So far, the closest I’ve gotten is sauteed mushrooms in a milk thickened with whole wheat flour and cornstarch. Not to tasty. But I won’t give up!

Sarah, I found this on this site. I think it may be the answer for your cream of mushroom soup substitute.

THE HEALTH PRACTITIONER (STEPHANIE GRUTZ) SAYS November 21, 2016 at 5:35 am I stumbled upon this by accident ???? I was making some cauliflower sauce (Take 1 bag of cauliflower, 1 cup of water, let it get soft, add salt and whatever other seasonings you’d like) and then saute a carton of mushrooms, blend both together and you have a cream of mushroom to use with any recipe! I made a great green bean casserole with it <3

I have been trying to find a way to “Clean” freeze my home grown peaches so they won’t turn brown in the freezer. Everyone keeps telling me I need to add sugar to them. I don’t use white granulated sugar for anything. I do use raw sugar at times but most often I substitute agave for any needed sweetner. I just don’t think the peaches would freeze the same with the agave. I would appreciate any suggestions. Thanks, Tammy

Tammy – That’s a really good question! I have to be honest, I’ve never done it before, but here’s what I found with some internet research:

“Mix the peach juice with 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. Another method is to crush one tablet of Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) in a tablespoon of the peach juice, mix it with the remaining juice and toss peaches gently in the liquid. Fruit Fresh is ascorbic acid, an antioxidant, and it prevents the reaction of the peach flesh to the air. If you have no lemon juice on hand, the crushed vitamin works fine.”

“Use frozen concentrated orange juice to keep peaches from turning brown. Wash approx. 15-20 peaches, slice with the skins on for nutritional value, add one 12 oz. can frozen concentrated orange juice, mix well to thoroughly coat and place in freezer bags. The orange juice adds a delicious flavor and color to the peaches and is sure to please.”

“I learned this while serving as a demonstrator in supermarkets. Soak fruit in pineapple juice.”

So see if one of those suggestions works for you. And please let me know how it turns out! I’d be really interested to know.

I saute shiitake mushrooms, chopped onions and a clove or 2 of minced garlic in a little olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Then make a roux with the oil/juices and some whole wheat pastry flour. Then thin it with unsweetened Silk to the desired consistancy depending on if we are eating it as soup (with a little tarragon added) or using it as the sauce in a casserole. This is nothing like Campbell’s. We think it is much better. Try it an see what you think.

My mom uses 1/2 orange juice (not concentrate) and 1/2 water for fresh peaches in a fruit mix. For freezing she uses just lemon juice to keep the color. Lemon juice also does for fruit (in desserts and such) what salt does for savory things, kind of “sparks” the flavor. If the fruit is fully ripe and sweet you probably won’t need to use sweetener, or very little.

I have gone slowly into clean eating over the years without realizing i have done this. My son is very allergic to MSG he become very behavoiral when he has anything with it in it. So I started with not making anything from a box or can for my 4 kids i figure if my oldest is like this it possible for the other too. And the great think is i went from 360lbs to 249 and still loosing. This is a learning process for me and one i actually enjoy. i don’t like putting anythink in my mouth if i can pronounce it. I love this site it has so many great ideas Thanks

I have so many questions. I am trying to clean up my grandmothers old homemade granola recipe. It calls for 1/4 cup of brown sugar. So in order to convert that to agave and molasses I follow the white sugar chart? It also calls for veg oil, which I substitute with conola oil. Do you suggest another oil instead? thanks

Joy – While canola oil is a vegetable oil, it’s probably not the healthiest choice (although some would argue with me on that). Try safflower oil or coconut oil. Avocado, walnut or grape seed oil are also good choices.

For 1/4 cup brown sugar, I would use a scant 1/4 cup agave or honey and 1-2 tsp. molasses depending on how heavy of a molasses flavor you want.

How do you feel about Stevia? I am trying to figure out if it is actually clean… there’s so much conflicting info on the internet. I am looking for a sweetner to put in my coffee and I’m new at clean eating – making my first clean grocery trip this weekend. I am so thankful for your shopping list – it will make the trip much less stressful!

Andrea – Glad I could help! As far as I know, Stevia is clean. But I don’t know much about it as I don’t use it. I get too much of an aftertaste from it, so I don’t care for it much. I have no idea if it undergoes a lot of processing though. You could google “stevia processing” and see what comes up. If it’s processed, it’s not clean. Hope that helps.

Sarah – Cream is too high in fat. While technically it’s clean because there is no processing involved (for the most part), it’s still too high in fat to be included in a clean eating diet. Though, in a pinch, it would be better than the alternative!

Carol – That’s what some people say. But there is much evidence to the contrary as well. It also greatly depends on the manufacturer themselves. I leave it up to people to make their own decisions in that regard. I won’t preach one way or the other. The matter is far from settled.

The thing with research is that most people pick it apart to suite their own needs and goals. I’ve yet to see a definitive study that proves this.

As a busy mom on a budget, I used to make many casseroles that called for “cream of” soups. Since switching to clean eating as much as possible, I had to find a good, clean, inexpensive and time saving substitute for these soups. When I am cleaning up a recipe that calls for cream of soups, I’ll usually take the base (celery, mushroom, chicken, whatever it’s cream of), and sauté it in olive oil until tender. I then add low fat cream cheese and a small amount of fat free milk or unsweetened soy milk and cook over low heat until it has thinned out just a bit. Then just cool and store in fridge until you’re ready for it. Hope this helps.

Have you heard of the new soda, “zevia” ? It seems like a clean product to me, but since I’m new to this I was curious as to what your opinion was. Here’s a link to check it out: http://www.zevia.com/index.html

Malea – Let’s put it this way. Would you ever go to the store and buy Erythritol, Caramel Color, Tartaric Acid, Furmaric Acid or Natural Flavors to cook with in your own kitchen? I’m betting no. That’s how I determine if something is clean or not. This one would be a big, fat “no”. Sorry! 🙁

Hello! I’m still new to the clean way of life and have found your site very helpful. Thank you! A couple of questions. For brown sugar, do you use the same substitution chart as you would for white sugar? For example, if a recipe calls for 1 cup brown sugar, how much agave and molasses would I use? Also, any substitutions for cream cheese? Thanks again for this site! It’s made my transition to eating clean much easier!

Jenny – What I do is convert the sugar to honey or agave and to that I add a bit of molasses. How much really depends on how much honey or agave I’m using. But typically, between 1-3 tsp. is enough to flavor it.

Cream cheese would be non-fat greek yogurt or yogurt cheese which I also have a recipe for here. But the tanginess of the yogurt really comes out, so some people don’t like to use it as a substitute.

Sarah – I don’t think anything will ever truly equal mayo. So you can do one of two things. 1) Get a clean mayo and use very small amounts. 2) Try hummus. It’s different, but it does add some yummy flavor. Hope that helps!

Lizbrooks – Depends on the noodle. If it’s 100% whole grain, then yes, most people treat is as clean. But I supposed it depends on how strict you want to be. Noodles certainly don’t come from nature that way, so it’s all about how strict you want to be.

Hello! I am new here and starting myself and my family of 6 on a more “clean” diet. I am also a major sugar addict and that is the first step I have taken for myself- cutting out all processed sugar. I’ve started using honey and pure maple syrup, but I noticed on some of the “organic” products I buy for my kids, they use “organic dried cane syrup” or “organic evaporated cane juice”… what the heck does that mean and is it considered clean?

Mindy – No, they are not clean. A plant can be grown without chemicals, but if it is processed into something “unnatural”, it is still not clean. Clean eating is all about avoiding unprocessed ingredients. Always ask yourself if you would buy an ingredient individually to cook with in your own kitchen. That will often help. I don’t know of any stores that sell evaporated cane juice, organic or otherwise. It’s a good rule of thumb to follow when shopping.

Tiffany, I just want to comment you on your site! I have been dedicated to “the gracious pantry” for quite some time now and just want to let you know how much I love it! I have introduced some of your recopies to my roommate and loves them! Your “how to” guides, especially the converting sugar chat helps so much and makes eating clean fun and simple! Thanks again! – Amy

Jlallen – Yes. First, be sure you’re getting whole grain cream of wheat. The regular stuff is processed and is not whole grain. Bob’s Redmill makes it, but I can’t remember the name on the package. Something like “whole farina” or something like that. Make the butter organic and use honey instead of sugar.

Heather – Depends. Low fat or non-fat plain yogurt is clean, flavored is not (though there are rare exceptions). Cream cheese is not due to the high fat content and same for sour cream. But other than that, they are more or less okay. So if you must use them, use in very small amounts.

Kristinvanhoozer – It depends on the recipe. I no longer eat dairy, so I haven’t been able to experiment with it much. But I can see where it would work for many recipes. If you have a particular recipe in mind, email it to me and I’ll see if I can convert it using greek yogurt.

Kristin – There’s no doubt it’s confusing. And part of the reason for that is that many people have different ideas about what clean eating is. On the bright side, it also means that clean eating is very adjustable to your lifestyle and beliefs in health. Evaporated cane juice, to the best of my knowledge, is not clean. Honey and maples syrup are fine because they come from nature that way. I hope that helps.

Tracylea – Call around to local health food stores. If they don’t carry it, you can order it off amazon.com. The Bob’s Redmill web site should be able to tell you where they sell in your area. They are the most popular brand that I know of.

Ally – I drink coffee almost daily. You just have to be careful what you put in it. Alcohol is only a special treat. A once in a while thing. It’s not clean, but it’s okay on occasion and in strict moderation. I drink maybe 2-4 times per year at most. Margarine is not clean. If you must have something like that, purchase organic butter. Otherwise, olive oil is your best bet as are other healthy oils like avocado or walnut oil.

Ally – I drink coffee almost daily. You just have to be careful what you put in it. Alcohol is only a special treat. A once in a while thing. It’s not clean, but it’s okay on occasion and in strict moderation. I drink maybe 2-4 times per year at most. Margarine is not clean. If you must have something like that, purchase organic butter. Otherwise, olive oil is your best bet as are other healthy oils like avocado or walnut oil.

Lydia – That’s a tough one. I have had several requests to clean it up, but I’m still trying to figure that out myself. You might try some 1% milk and some cornstarch to thicken it up. But I’d have to try it myself to be sure. Sorry!

I have a bread maker. The whole wheat bread recipes call for part whole wheat flour and part bread flour. If I don’t use the bread flour and butter called for in the recipe, then the whole wheat bread turns out very dense and not very good at all. Is whole wheat pastry flour a good substitution for the bread flour? I already buy organic unsalted butter…Thanks!

Hi! I absolutely love your site and have found it very helpful. Was wondering what your thoughts are on Truvia, Ideal (Xylitol)? I use Truvia daily in my coffee and bake with Ideal as a sugar substitute. I notice you primarily use honey as a sugar substitute. I try to keep my sugar intake below 50 grams a day and have really noticed a huge change in my body. But am wondering if these sugar substitutes are really clean or just as bad as refined sugar. Have read some conflicting info. Would love to hear your thoughts. Thanks so much for sharing your site.

Stevia = a plant you can grow in your back yard Truvia = made in a plant (the Coca Cola company manufacturing plant)

Sadly, I have not come across any sugar substitutes that are clean. Even powdered stevia is processed. I believe the liquid might be okay though. But not positive on that. Xylitol may be a healthier option for your teeth, but it’s not clean. That said, I do know clean eaters who use xylitol.

I use xylitol in my clean eating because even though it is processed it isn’t as bad as most substitues or even agave and it’s hands down the closest to taste for a white sugar replacement. Plus it’s not a problem for blood sugar like honey or maple syrup, (other favorites I use often), it’s dry so you don’t have to worry about adjusting liquid in recipes, and it’s very low calorie. Plus some clean eating sources such as Clean Eating Magazine approve it as good for clean food. So yeah it’s sort of controversial, but I just thought I would share why I choose to use it.

Yes, that’s probably best. It will depend on what you are making, but coconut butter is typically a wonderful substitute. Or you can use some butter and some apple sauce, or use olive oil and apple sauce. Or olive oil and butter.

I love yogurt for substituting in baking. You can substitue a huge variety of things including most dairy products like butter or cream or even for oil. The amount you want to use varies depending on what you’re substituting and the type of yogurt you use. My favorite is Fage 0% strained yogurt because it has a mildly tangy flavor and wonderful thick texture. Just make sure you aren’t using yogurt flavored with sugar and chemicals. Also fair warning it will often make your baked good a little extra fluffy. It’s a nice effect depending on your tastes, but in cookies you will notice the difference in texture.

You’ll find varying answers to that question. Personally, I don’t think it’s a good idea to eat the same thing every single morning, regardless of what you’re eating. Variety is key with healthy eating. But as to whether or not it’s too much cholesterol would depend heavily on your health and individual constitution.

This was a good read, even the comments and suggestions were good, but I am still still amazed that Agave is not clean, who would have known with all of the attention that it get’s from other site, thanks!

Hi there, Im wondering what you would replace ‘sweet chili sauce’ with? I use this in alot of stirfries and add it to mashed avacado and natural yoghurt for mexican dishes. p.s…LOVE YOUR BLOG!! Im learning so, so much!

I cook a lot for my family in the crock pot and a lot of those recipes use those yucky (I am just now learning) condensed soups. The 3 most common ones I use are cream of chicken, cream of mushroom, and cheddar cheese soup. Any Idea how I could substitute these for the crock pot?

I cook for a family member with severe reactions to ANY SUGARS. So I have been trying to use stevia. The problem is that it lacks volume and does not create the necessary chemical reactions for the proper result.

Is there something that can be substituted for the bulk and melting effects of sugar?

I’ve never seen it for sale on its own, but I would imagine it’s not clean. It’s naturally found in fruit, but if you extract it and turn it into powder, I’m guessing there would be a lot of precessing involved. Just a guess though….

So helpful tips, thanks a lot. I confess I have not read all of the comments though, so sorry if I am asking something that is already discussed. Can you please let me know how can I prepare clean eating frosting or icing?

(To: The Gracious Pantry) Have you tried pureeing potatoes as a base ingredient for Cambell’s cream soups? Perhaps add some milk and chicken/veggie stock. I used purreed potatoes in a recipe that called for cream of chicken soup one time and it worked pretty well.

Also, I have a question: I’ve been looking all over Google for this information and I have found dissenting opinions. Is Duram Wheat Semolina clean? Duram Wheat I know is, but it’s the “semolina” part I’ve found varying opinions on. What’s your expertise on the subject? Thanks in advance.

Hi Tiffany, Thanks for all your great recipes! Do you have a substitute for shortening (Crisco)? I’m trying to clean up the peanut butter blossoms (with the Hershey kiss on top) including a dark chocolate on top. The recipe calls for 1/2 cup shortening. I’m guessing you could use applesauce and butter…I’d love to know your thoughts. It also calls for 1/3 cup sugar and 1/3 cup brown sugar…I was planning to use 2/3 cup sucanat. What would you use in this case? Thanks!

Thank you! 🙂 Just made a mini batch substituting butter and sucanat; all other ingredients were also clean other than the chocolate on top. Used Dove milk chocolate hearts for Valentine’s day, but will look for a good quality dark chocolate for future use. They were wonderful, and my kids loved them. I’m hoping that having these on hand will help keep my kids from eating all that junk candy from Valentine’s parties. Thanks so much for your help!

I am very new to clean eating and just wanted to ask a few questions… How do you feel about Morena sugar? Is that considered “clean”? Also, do you avoid bread all together, with the exception of pizza dough? Just a question I had while scrolling through your site… Thanks!

Im wondering if it is possible to make a chocolate cake “clean” AND still delicious. I tried this past week and it didn’t come out so good. I replaced the white flour with “King Arthurs” Unbleached All Purpose Flour and I replaced the white sugar with the Turbinado, I used organic eggs and organic butter. and organic milk, The cake came out a little dry and had a molasses taste to it that I did not care for, overall it was good, just not chocolate cake good 🙂 .but the frosting was really the tricky park. I took the Turbinado sugar and I made powdered sugar out of it with a coffee bean grinder, ( a tip I had found online) The taste of the frosting was great but definitely gritty…Any suggestions???

I’m wondering how to make a no bake chocolate caramel slice ‘clean.’ I know I can make the chocolate layer with coconut oil, cocoa and honey, and I’m sure i can figure out how to make the base clean, but how do I make the caramel layer clean?? Thankyou! 🙂

When reading through the comments I saw a question about the Durum Wheat Semolina. When I googled it, this is what I found.

“Semolina is the coarse, purified wheat middlings of durum wheat used in making pasta, breakfast cereals, puddings, and couscous.[1] The term semolina is also used to designate coarse middlings from other varieties of wheat, and from other grains such as rice and corn.”

“Semolina made from durum wheat is yellow in color.[4] Semolina is often used as the base for dried products such as couscous, which is made by mixing roughly 2 parts semolina with 1 part durum flour (finely ground semolina).[5]

Broadly speaking, meal produced from grains other than wheat may also be referred to as semolina, e.g. rice semolina, or corn semolina (more commonly known as grits in the U.S.)

When semolina comes from softer types of wheats it is white in color. In this case, the correct name is flour, not semolina. In the United States, coarser meal coming from softer types of wheats is known also as farina.”

Just wanted to post. BTW: I LOVE LOVE LOVE your site and am so thankful that you take the time to help so many people get educated on what is so terribly wrong with our food!! Both of my children were recently clinically diagnosed with both ADHD and ODD (Oppostional Defiance Disorder). Needless to say we have had our fair share of struggles with this. The doctor is pushing for “trial medication” for both of them but I do not want them on medication. I’ve been making the change to clean eating instead and am pleasantly surprised with the results so far. My husband and I can both tell a big difference in when the kids have eaten something unclean! I know my post is crazy long.. but I just wanted to share and say thank you for being so committed, not only to clean eating for your family, but also to helping others in this journey.

hey! i found a recipe that calls for 1/2 cup of butter. its for muffins. any subsitutes? i tried looking through here already but didn’t see any options yet. also, do you know about xanthan gum? the recipe also calls for it but i have no idea where to get it from or what it is.

Xanthan gum is clean. I get mine at Whole Foods, but many health food stores will have it. Amazon.com carries it too. For the butter, you can use 1/4 cup oil and 1/4 cup apple sauce. Works for me anyway. 🙂

Ann – Sorry for the confusion. You substitute dry sugar for liquid honey by weight, not volume. 1 cup of dry sugar will be very different from 1 cup of honey. So you have to weigh them. 2 ounces of honey will be equal to 2 ounces of dry sugar. The molasses is only for flavor. That’s what they add to white sugar to make brown sugar. I hope that helps.

I love your clean cooking tips and substitutes. One that comes up a lot is what to do about butter – try a soft ripe avocado. (Substitute equal measurement.) The other day we made chocolate chip cookies with avocado instead, and no one noticed! They were as yummy as ever! I was worried it would have a nasty green or brown color, but it was fine! It’s a great natural oil. No dairy allergy issues!

Hi! I’m new to clean eating and am trying to find good recipes my very picky 4 year old will also enjoy. I’m wondering if pure cane syrup is ‘clean’? My husband brought some home after watching it being ‘made’ at a friend’s house and I’m not quite sure what to do with it. TIA

You might want to add a comment on Stevia: For each cup of sugar called for in a recipe substitute 1 tsp of liquid stevia and add 1/3 cup of liquid bulk (e.g. apple sauce, yogurt, milk or milk substitute, mashed banana, fruit puree, pumpkin… whatever matches the recipe).

Oh regarding the comments on whether Stevia is clean – I suggest trying NuNaturals liquid stevia (I use the vanilla kind and it’s delicious). This is true plant extract, just like vanilla extract or the like (with alcohol, but they have an alcohol free version too). An easy rule to remember – if it’s in the sweetener aisle, it’s not clean. If it’s in the nutritional supplement aisle, still read the ingredients, but usually it’s true extract. Try to use liquid, not powdered.

This information is fantastic! I do have a question. I am wondering what a good replacement for butter would be. I like to eat English muffins in the morning and I prefer savory over sweet. I would like something other than butter to us that is clean. Thanks for your help!

Eileen – Depends on how much it calls for and how dependent the recipe is on margarine. You can either sub with organic butter in equal amounts, or you can try a mix of 1/2 unsweetened apple sauce and 1/2 oil. But that’s only if it’s not needed for form or texture. I’d have to see the recipe to be sure.

How do you feel about Creme Fraiche? I am not a huge fan of greek yogurt and I have found that creme fraiche seems to be a happy medium between natural, unflavoured yogurt and cream cheese or sour cream. It works well in most recipes as a substitute for anything from yogurt, to cream cheese, to regular cheese, and what’s best is that it can compliment either sweet or savoury flavors! I could eat it on its own, over fruit, as a binder in certain recipes, or as a base for a sauce. I think it could work well for this “cream of” conflict being discussed above. Would you consider it clean, or am I going to have to learn to like greek yogurt a little bit more?

Hello! I am new to the blog, but very excited to live a clean eating lifestyle! I am trying to learn all the rules for what to purchase and what not to purchase. I use a lot of extra virgin olive oil with cooking and sauteeing and was wondering if I should be using something else? There is only one ingredient listed on the back of the bottle if that helps.

Have you ever heard of/used the sweetener ZSweet? It’s been a huge save for making my husband’s favorite recipes. It sweetens just like sugar, doesn’t have any funny taste to it, and won’t raise your blood sugar!

I’m brand new to the eating clean world. My family and I really want to start eating clean and I think your website is just what we’re looking for. I’m sure I’ll have questions, so I’m glad to know that you are hear to help.

Kendra – Welcome! Just take it one step at a time. Every week when you shop, replace not-clean foods with clean ones. In a few short weeks, you’ll have your kitchen converted for clean eating without any stress on you or your wallet. You’ll do great!

Hi, I started reading your blog several weeks ago after deciding that I was addicted to sugar and needed to cut it out of my diet. I ate nothing that even tasted sweet for four weeks starting in April to kill my sweet tooth. I found your blog because I looked up dessert recipes with no sugar and found I was following clean eating practices. I had no idea that so many people were doing the same thing I was doing. I was so excited to find I wasn’t crazy!

I have recently begun to add in sweet tasting foods in moderation. I wanted to ask about using pure cane syrup. I was reading about it , it seems to be cleaner than molasses, but wanted to check on your thoughts.

Beke – To the best of my knowledge, it’s not clean. But I haven’t really researched it either. I hope to do an in depth article on sugar, so I’ll know more then. Sorry, wish I could be more help on that. Welcome to my blog though! 😀

Hi again, Wondering this time about substituting cream cheese. I knew about plain low fat Greek Yogourt for sour cream(great on a baked potato, never know the difference). but have a low fat fettucine alfredo recipe and am trying to convert it and it calls for low fat cream cheese. Any tips you could provide would be helpful(also have baking recipes that call for the cream cheese but if I can substitute, then hey why not ya know?) Thanks again, I love your site and am learning so much! Knowledge is power! Keep up the great work! Anne Hachey Toronto, Canada!

Danyll – It’s something I’m looking into. I know a lot of clean eaters use it, but I’m not sure if it’s actually clean. I’ll be researching that very soon for an article on sugars, so I’ll have to get back to you on that. Wish I could be more help…

What is your take on White Whole Wheat. I substitute it for anything that calls for white flour because it that such a better texture. From the research I have done, it is the same as whole wheat, just a lighter stalk?? I do use whole wheat pastry flour, but it is a lot more expensive. Just curious about your thoughts on this!

Vicki – By Velveeta, I assume you mean the cheese slices? I just use regular cheddar in block form if I need it. I do have a recipe for cream of mushroom soup in my soup section. You can even add chicken if you need a cream of chicken soup. I’m working on a cream of celery soup next…

Hi! New to this, and trying to make it my lifestyle. My family loves my smoked bbq’d ribs and I am trying to figure out how to make my sauce clean. I use ketchup as its base and need a substitute. Help?

Hi I would like to know a substitute for condensed milk I have a lot of recipes the kids love but all call for condensed milk (basically liquid sugar to me ) is there anything that tastes similar so the kids won’t know the difference would be really interested to know 🙂 and also NO tofu as a sub thanks heaps btw love your blog 🙂

Just subscribed as my family is beginning our clean eating journey. Loving the website, but find it a bit amusing that Tastykakes is one of the sponsored ad’s. I understand Blogher is responsible, just a bit ironic. Looking forward to learning more through your website.

I just recently had my 3rd child, and have become an avid runner to get my “volleyball body” back. I have become somewhat obsessed with the idea of cleaning, however I’m completely a novice. I appreciate your blog a TON and all the comments as well, and while I haven’t heard of 75% of the foods you’re talking about, I’m excited to try them. I appreciate your hard work and investigation!! Thanks so much!

Dena – I’m still researching all the different sugars. It’s a very large topic to cover and I hope to do a post about it in the near future. As far as I know so far, sucanat or coconut sugar are the only ones that are clean. But again, I have to do more research on that. Wish I could be more help.

Great stuff. I just started clean eating. My wife’s not completely on board, I don’t think she’ll ever give diet Mountain Dew. I find it interesting that all the comments are from women. Where are the clean cooking men?

Adrein – In some cases, yes. Depends on the recipe though. I do have a nut free section if that helps. Of course, it’s up to you to ensure that the ingredients you purchase are free of cross contamination…

Hello, I’m a beginner and I want to be fully prepared with the right information before I begin. What about truvia or Stevie, are they acceptable as clean eating? And caffeine, is it considered clean eating? Thanks you so much you are truly an inspiration and your website is just amazing. I can’t wait until your new book comes out!

Jenna – Stevia is a plant (you can grow it yourself). Truvia is made IN a plant (the coca cola manufacturing plant). So as long as you have a pure form of stevia, that’s the clean choice. Personally, I haven’t found one that is truly clean (the liquid drops are the closest you can get), so I’m growing my own stevia plant. We shall see how that turns out! Caffeine is a gray area. I would limit it if you are going to have it. Maybe 1 cup of coffee per day. Totally a personal choice though.

Hi We have been eating clean for 9 days now and I can honestly say that in the last 3 days I have had more energy and have slept better than in ages. I am fdindingf it really easy, there is an abundance of “real” food that you can eat. There is one thing I can’t do without and that is gravy on my Sunday roast. We have been using gravy granules for so long I can’t remember how I used to make gravy before! Also when coming in from work they are so handy and quick. How can I make and thicken gravy the clean way?

Jennifer – When you cook the roast, do you end up with any drippings in the bottom of the pan? I make my gravy from drippings. (I usually make mine with chicken drippings from the slow cooker). Just add 1 tbsp. at a time of flour if it’s very watery and some garlic powder, onion powder and any other spices you want. If there isn’t much, try to get as much as you can and maybe add some clean broth. You can make broth gravy the same way, but it tastes better with some of the drippings in it. You don’t need much for flavor.

I replaced Campbell’s soups by making my own. I know organic butter isn’t a part of clean eating, but it’s better than all the chemicals included in the can of Campbell’s. I use wheat flour for the rue. There are many recipes online. Just reduce the sodium and make your own chicken stock. It tastes so much better than the canned stuff.

Val – There is nothing wrong or “un-clean” about good quality butter. You just have to use it in moderation. Whole wheat flour can easily replace white flour in this instance as well. And I agree, make stock! Taste’s so much better!

I have a recipe from my mother that I would like to “try” to make clean. It is a candy but I think it could become a healthy snack fairly easily so we could still enjoy it. In the original recipe it calls for powdered sugar and I am trying to figure out if I can leave that out or use something else.

This may sound weird, but I had a cornbread mix that had canola oil in the “recipe” and I got a wild hair and substituted coconut oil. Worked like a charm and people complemented me on it all night! May work in other recipes as well, just be aware that it may add sweetness to the flavor.

What the substitute for castor sugar and spelt flour is the clean substitute for plain same with self raising just add baking powder/soda, i use pure cream, mineral water, spelt flour and baking powder and coconut oil is good to replace oil

So is it possible to substitute liquid sweetners such as honey and pure maple syrup in baked goods? Do you need to remove some liquid or is it fine as long as you use the same weight when substituting?

I know white processed sugar isn’t any good but is unrefined cane sugar ok? Also I was looking into alternative pastas and one option my local co-op has in quinoa pasta, the second ingredient is corn flour, is that ok?

By the way… thank you for such an amazing website!! It’s been so helpful as I start my clean eating journey.

Jennifer – You want to look for something called Sucanat. It’s dehydrated cane juice which is clean. Other varieties are not. But still keep it in strict moderation. As for pasta, unless it’s organic corn, I would avoid it as it will then be a GMO.

I like my coffee. I saw on the internet that coffee isn’t clean eating. Is that the case? I like the flavored creamers too. I don’t have to add extra sugar when I use it. What can I replace my flavored creamer with to get that creamy coffee? Milk doesn’t work. Would coconut milk work?

Betty Lee – In my recipe index, I have a coffee drinks section under Beverages. You’ll find several options there, even a couple creamer recipes. If you like it sweet, my condensed milk recipe is great. You can use any type of milk.

I’m quite enjoying the recipes and the information, thank you very much.

One thing I wanted to mention, a substitution I have been making for years when baking — ground flax seed for the fat/oil in recipes. It’s a 3:1 ratio, so if the recipe calls for 1 cup of oil you need 3 cups of ground flax seeds. It’s good for you and it tastes great. Fantastic, particularly in muffins or quick breads!

I was wondering if real sorghum molasses for sweetener could be used in clean eating? I have spent hours reading your blog and have learned so much already! Thanks for all you have done to help others learn to eat clean!

Marquita – I looked it up because I have never heard of it. It appears to be clean, but I don’t know how a larger company would process it. You would have to look at the processes the company uses that you want to buy from. But beyond that, I’d say it’s pretty clean.

How about a substitute for cream cheese. So many of my winter casseroles an soups call for it. I’ve heard Greek yogurt and, while it is a great sub for sour cream, it is a bit too tangy for cream cheese, in my opinion.

Desiree – Oh boy. If I could come up with a substitute for that, I’d be a millionaire! LOL! I keep searching, but haven’t found anything yet. I think the only thing you can really do is find a good quality cream cheese at a specialty store. I think that’s the closest you will get. But I’ll keep searching. 🙂

I’ve been experimenting with substitutions, and am wondering, can you replace multiple ingredients in the same recipe? For example replacing butter with banana and sugar with honey in one recipe. Or does one have to remain unchanged. This is all new to me and very confusing but im not giving up yet.

How about butter? I searched and could not find anything on the web. My daughter (13) recently was started on the AIP. Even though I have been eating clean for almost a year, this is all too new for me. Thanks in advance 🙂

Meagan – Not really. But you can thicken other milks or use coconut milk. Depends on why you want to avoid it. If it’s because of dairy, then coconut is a great choice. But if it’s for avoiding the fat, then I would look at some nut milks. If it’s because of the processing, then pretty much any full-fat milk will work.

Hi! Thank you so much for this information! I just started adopting a clean eating lifestyle and I stumbled upon your blog. So thankful for you and your blog! I have a question too. Any idea what I can substitute for vegetable shortening in my pie crust recipe? Thanks again!

Christina – Welcome! I do have several pie crust recipes on my blog here, but if you are simply looking to clean your own recipe up, then I recommend a good quality coconut oil for that. You can also use butter if you prefer to avoid any coconut flavor. I hope that helps!

Hi, I’ve had a severe back injury and surgeries for 7 years. I just turned 60 and my meds don’t allow for much weight loss. HOWEVER, I’m old school, grew up on scratch recipes. No one in my family measured anything! Lol. I love pies, but have a terrible time with crust. I also would like to find a easy white cake to put fruit on. My problem I always want to bake but don’t have a single low fat, sugar free substitutes I need to replace the sugar or at least cut back on it. You would think by now I would know how to do this but old habits are hard to break. I like the substitute TRIVIA.. the amount of dry measurement as sugar, easy…. BUT I kind of find it to sweet and the texture in my white cake is a little rubbery. I use it for fruit and such, but there’s nothing like a white cake made with fresh eggs, real butter, and white sugar… doesn’t get any better. What could a substitute besides applesauce, sub sugar, no egg, no fat, honey, syrup??? Lol…. might as well not bake!!! I always thought that a real good cake, doesn’t really need icing. It’s good by itself. Add some peaches or blackberries and it’s a good dessert. Like all others we get it in our heads, NOW I CAN EAT MORE BECAUSE I LEFT THE ICING OFF! Haaaa…. Can you find me a good white cake recipe where I can sit down and actually enjoy a piece of cake? And not that 1×1 small square!! Lol My piece of cake or pie is different than the new APPROPRIATE SIZE for today!!!! If I want some pie or cake I want to be able to go through 2 cups of coffee before it’s gone!!! Haaaaa

Debbie – I’m not sure I can help. It sounds like clean eating may not be your focus. This is the closest thing I have to that sort of recipe. It’s different from what you are looking for however. Heartier for sure. Truvia wouldn’t be considered clean eating either. https://www.thegraciouspantry.com/clean-eating-birthday-cake/ . Sorry, wish I could be more help.

Vicki – Sucanat is a clean cane sugar. It’s really about how much a natural food is processed. Cane sugar gets pretty heavily processed. So you want to look for raw sugar such as Sucanat (it’s a brand name I’ve seen at most stores in my area).

Eli – Not sure what you mean by bulk yogurt. When you purchase yogurt, buy the plain variety and add your own sweetener. Buying regularly sweetened yogurt is not clean because the sugar they add is highly processed. Hope that helps!

Thanks for this post! I am making a vegan pumpkin corn chowder that calls for two cups of brown sugar. I removed added sugar from my diet and would like to replace it with a healthy alternative instead is another kind of sugar, agave, syrup, etc. Do you think that unsweetened applesauce or apple butter would work? Do you have any other suggestions? Thanks so much!

Christen – Brown sugar is a relatively strong flavor. We don’t think of it that way, but it is. In this case, I would use 1 tbsp. molasses to get a flavor closer to brown sugar (brown sugar is white sugar with molasses added). I would also opt for maple syrup in a recipe like this. If you want to do away with sweeteners completely, you can absolutely use applesauce, but you won’t taste that sweetness when the dish is finished cooking. Hope that helps!

About

The Gracious Pantry is an ever-growing collection of real food recipes and cooking information. My focus is to further support the real food movement and inspire people to store, prep and cook with real food. Read more about Tiffany...